Scaevola plant named ‘Bonsca7200’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Scaevola  plant named ‘Bonsca7200’, characterized by its compact, mounded and trailing plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; violet-colored flowers; and good container and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Scaevola aemula.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BONSCA7200’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Scaevolaplant, botanically known as Scaevola aemula and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Bonsca7200’.

The new Scaevola plant a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australia. Theobjective of the breeding program is to create new vigorous andfreely-flowering Scaevola plants with compact plant habit and attractiveflower color.

The new Scaevola plant originated from an open-pollination in YellowRock, New South Wales, Australia in early 2004 of a proprietaryselection of Scaevola aemula identified as code number 04-28, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown proprietaryselection of Scaevola aemula, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newScaevola plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollinationin a controlled environment in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australiain March, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Scaevola plant by vegetative cuttings ina controlled environment in Yellow Rock, New South Wales, Australiasince April, 2005 has shown that the unique features of this newScaevola plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Scaevola have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Bonsca7200’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Bonsca7200’ as a new and distinct Scaevolaplant:

-   -   1. Compact, mounded and trailing plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit.    -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   5. Long flowering period.    -   6. Violet-colored flowers.    -   7. Good container and garden performance.

Plants of the new Scaevola can be compared to plants of the femaleparent selection. Plants of the new Scaevola differ from plants of thefemale parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Scaevola are more vigorous than plants of        the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Scaevola and the female parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection        have dark blue-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Scaevola can be compared to plants of the Scaevolaaemula ‘Bonscalib’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,516. Inside-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Scaevola differed fromplants of the ‘Bonscalib’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Scaevola were more trailing than plants of        ‘Bonscalib’.    -   2. Plants of the new Scaevola were more vigorous than plants of        ‘Bonscalib’.    -   3. Plants of the new Scaevola had larger leaves than plants of        ‘Bonscalib’.    -   4. Flowers of plants of the new Scaevola had broader petals than        flowers of plants of ‘Bonscalib’.    -   5 Flowers of plants of the new Scaevola were darker violet in        color than flowers of plants of ‘Bonscalib’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Scaevola plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Scaevola plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Bonsca7200’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers and leaves of ‘Bonsca7200’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in 15-cm containers during the summerin an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and underenvironmental conditions and cultural practices which closelyapproximate commercial production. During the production of the plants,day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C.Plants were four months old when the photographs were taken and fivemonths old when the detailed description was taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Scaevola aemula ‘Bonsca7200’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Scaevola            aemula identified as code number 04-28, not patented.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Unknown proprietary selection of            Scaevola aemula, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About seven days at 20° C.            to 25° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About ten days at 15° C. to            20° C.        -   Time to develop roots, summer.—About three weeks at 20° C.            to 25° C.        -   Time to develop roots, winter.—About four weeks at 15° C. to            20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Compact, mounded and trailing            plant habit; vigorous growth habit.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, lateral branches            potentially forming at every node; pinching enhances            branching potential.        -   Plant height.—About 10.3 cm.        -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 48.5 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 23.3 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 2.8 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 1.4 cm.        -   Aspect.—Outwardly, decumbent.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to 144B overlain with close to 200B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 7.3 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.7 cm.        -   Shape.—Narrowly spatulate.        -   Apex.—Obtuse to mucronate.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; slightly            coarse.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 137B, towards the margins, tinted with close to            166A; venation, close to 144C. Developing and fully expanded            leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B; venation, close to            144C tinted with close to 166A.        -   Petiole length.—About 2.2 cm.        -   Petiole diameter.—About 4 mm.        -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent.        -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 144B            tinted with close to 166A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and shape.—Zygomorphic, semi-circular,            fan-shaped flowers with five petals fused at the base to            form a tubular flower throat; flower throat open along the            upper surface exposing reproductive organs.        -   Flower arrangement and quantity.—Solitary sessile flowers            arising from leaf axils; flowers face upright to outwardly;            freely flowering habit with typically about 14 flowers            developing per lateral branch.        -   Flowering time.—Plants begin flowering after about four            weeks after planting; long flower period, plants flower            continuously from spring to late autumn in Japan.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers typically last about a week on the            plant; flowers persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flower buds.—Shape: Elongated ovate. Length: About 1 cm.            Diameter: About 2.6 mm. Color: Close to N78B.        -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 2.5 cm by 3.2 cm. Tube length:            About 8.4 mm. Tube diameter: About 3.5 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity: Five, fused at base. Shape: Narrowly            elliptic. Apex: Cuspidate. Margin: Entire. Length, above            tube: About 1.4 cm. Width, above tube: About 6.5 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to N87A;            towards the base, 155D. When opening and fully opened, lower            surface: Close to N87B; longitudinal central stripe, close            to 85A. Throat: Close to 151A; venation, close to N79A.            Tube: Close to 151D.        -   Sepals.—Quantity: Two per flower. Length: About 5.4 mm.            Width: About 1.1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base:            Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Slightly pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 137B.            Color, lower surface: Close to 137C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:            About five. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About            1.3 mm by 0.2 mm. Anther color: Close to 199C and N199C.            Pollen: Scarce. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per flower: One.            Pistil length: About 1 cm. Style color: Close to 155B and            199D. Stigma shape: Oblong. Stigma color: Close to 187A.            Ovary color: Close to 144B.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Scaevola.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Scaevola have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures ranging from about 0° C. to about 40° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Scaevola have not been    shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Scaevola.

1. A new and distinct Scaevola plant named ‘Bonsca7200’ as illustratedand described.